A/N: There will be lots of gore and torture in this chapter, much worse than when Adam killed Theo. No spoilers; however, the next chapter will begin with a cliff note as well for those who skip.
Adam slammed his fist into the ground as the system uploaded their address to his mind.
Thomas Ahkeem was fairly close, living in a rundown apartment that didn't even have modern facilities. However, Enjiro Akeshi currently lived in Japan.
He didn't have a travel card, so it wouldn't even be possible to enter a plane. Not without killing many innocent people along the way.
Drawing in a deep breath, Adam consoled himself by focusing on the one he could kill.
Getting off the ground, he cast a quick glance at his phone to check the time.
9:21 P.M.
He would have an hour or two alone with Thomas before he had to go back home. A small smile crept on Adam's face as he appreciated the impeccable timing of obtaining the [Lower Weapons] gadget.
When it came to the art of torture, he was currently a novice. By the time the night was over, though... he would become an expert.
...
Adam knocked innocently on his door three times as he said, "Hello. Kasher's delivery. Uh, two large pepperoni and Pepsi deal for Thomas Ahkeem?"
A few clicking sounds came from behind the door, which Adam could tell were locks. Seconds later, it opened, the gap just big enough for a pistol to slide through.
"I didn't order no pizza, man. Fuck outta here, kid, while you got your guts intact."
Looking down at the gun, Adam blinked twice as he wondered what it could even do. Now that he had become much stronger than a person who'd survive a fight against military veterans, what the fuck could a pistol do?
Of course, this asshole didn't know that. He didn't know that Adam was an Inheritor, and that Adam could kill him with a simple flick of the wrist.
Thomas only knew that there was some kid at his door lying about a pizza delivery. Yet he was fully prepared to shoot here and now.
Sighing away his rising anger, Adam whispered, "Shoot me then."
"I warned you, brat," Thomas called, sounding more annoyed than anything. Seconds later, he fired five shots in quick succession.
Each of the bullets bounced innocently off Adam's abdomen. A huge smile formed on his lips as he kicked the door, blasting it apart into hundreds of wood chunks.
Thomas was standing behind the door, his mouth wide and agape as he stared at the demon before him. Then he shot a flurry of bullets at Adam, hoping that one of them could penetrate Satan himself.
Adam sighed as he looked down at his ruined shirt. Except it had already repaired itself thanks to his awesome system.
"Huh, neat," he said before grabbing the gun with his human hand and yanking the barrel clean off.
Then, with great restraint, he punched Thomas back into his apartment. Even just that light playful tap was enough to send him flying backward and through the living room table.
Adam closed the door behind him with a sigh as he looked around the man's apartment. Dirty kitchen to the right, dirty hallway to the left. Dirty living room in front of him, with a dirty human inside it breathing slow, shallow breaths as blood trickled down his face.
"What... the fuck... are you?" the man whispered in slow, painful breaths.
Adam shrugged as he walked forward, playfully changing his arms between various different weapons. Nice and quick handgun, slow and painful knife.
This display caused the man in front of him to grow hysterical, raising his right hand in front of him as if he could ward off Adam. Adam stepped forward, ignoring his pleas as he turned his arm back to normal.
Then he pressed his hand onto Thomas's as he whispered, "What the fuck am I, huh? I'm a person who lost his sister because of men like you. Now that I have her back... I'm not losing anything."
A vindictive malice shone on Adam's face as he turned his fingers into small blades, effortlessly cutting through Thomas's hand. Blood sprang out from severed tendons like a faucet, evaporating as it touched Adam's face and his surroundings.
The sight of his blood simply evaporating was somehow far more gruesome and horrifying than if it had stained Adam's face. It was as if the demon himself said, "The only one who will know the pain you endured tonight is me. And I'm going to cherish every second of that memory."
Therefore, it was no surprise to Adam when this simple injury, this prelude, forced Thomas to scream and whimper. "WH- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU!!! I- I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANY FUCKING SISTER!!! ple- please..."
Adam kicked the man in his stomach, causing him to curl even tighter on the ground. Then Adam nodded as he conceded, "Hmm. You're right; you wouldn't remember. No worries, though, as that won't affect you at all."
Blood splattered through the air again as Adam stabbed the man's shoulder blade. Through the evaporating blood, all Thomas could see were the cold red eyes and bloodless smile of a killer.
In the next instance, memories of his that were also not from this life flowed through his mind before this stream of information ended on a certain dimensional collapse. Although a harsh premonition of darkness lingered after that memory, the last thing he could solidly remember was letting loose a Kaiju on a city.
Which must have been when his sister died.
[Memory injection complete. The target Thomas Ahkeem now has complete knowledge of his past life, up until the moment his actions killed your sister]
The message shone brightly from his arm that now more closely resembled a pile of knives, illuminating both of their faces. In the next second, darkness was cast upon both of them again, leaving only the red light of Adam's murderous gaze.
"Ah, it's my lucky day then," Adam sneered as he approached Thomas. The coward already had more cuts than a weathered cutting board, but Adam wasn't close to done yet.
After all, no evidence would be left behind. So why would he hold back his rage?
"I- I'm sorry!! I- I don't know why I-"
"Shut up. I don't care." Thomas cowered as Adam approached, holding out his hand in a feeble attempt to stop the inevitable.
A cold hand grabbed his skull, squeezing it with so much pressure he thought his head would pop at any second. Simultaneously, the bladed hand cut apart his hand one finger at a time.
Thomas could no longer even wince or cry in pain anymore, because if he did, his head would explode. Blood was already flowing down his eyes from the pressure.
He gritted his teeth as his skin sizzled from the evaporating blood. Pain filled up every sensation he felt to the point all he felt was numbness.
The pressure dulled, his eviscerated hands no longer hurt, and even the sizzling skin no longer caused any pain. Thomas was empty, finally drifting off to sleep...
"Hey, don't leave me yet. I was just about to make a deal."
Adam's cold voice stirred some deep survival instinct within Thomas. After already suffering through his torture, Thomas no longer had any desire to live. However... instinct was a powerful tool.
So the dead man listened to his killer's proposal.
"Eat your fingers, and I'll let you live."
For just a second, his instinct opened his mouth. For just a second, Thomas was ready to do anything to live.
But then the horrific nature of this deal tortured his mind. With every passing millisecond as the fingers embedded in this demon's bladed hand, Thomas could feel his mouth biting down on it. He could feel every slice and cut as it maimed his mouth.
So, he forced his mouth shut even as the pressure caused his eyes to pop. Blinded, he only saw darkness as his entire face boiled. If he had a mind to scream, his vocal cords would have instantly broken themselves.
In the end, his defiance meant little.
Adam was stronger, so all he had to do was force his mouth open.
The next second, he bit down.
As Adam watched the man's internal injuries boil him alive, he felt a cold, dark emptiness inside of him. For some reason, this revenge didn't feel nearly as good as he thought it would have.
And he didn't know if it was because he couldn't kill Enjiro right here and now, or if it was because he was scared of how far he could go.
This cold emptiness was quickly erased by the blinding light of his hand's holographic message: the system detailing his reward.
[Special Target killed. Obtained first Penance]